Christmas at No12 Grimmauld Place
by Department of Fiction
Summary: This story is set during OotP. Just a short story, mostly a rewrite of the section in the book were Harry goes all "I am a dangerous weapon" and is miserable and needs some company. This takes place after they come back from the visit in St Mungo's where they overhear Moody and the others talking about Harry maybe being possessed.


**Christmas at No.** **12 Grimmauld Place**

 **This story is set during OotP**

Just a short story, mostly a rewrite of the section in the book were Harry goes all "I am a dangerous weapon" and is miserable and needs some company. This takes place after they come back from the visit in St Mungo's where they overhear Moody and the others talking about Harry maybe being possessed. I have always felt this was a good point to introduce Ginny in the books as a more permanent friend and addition to the trio.

Text in - - **bold - -** is straight from the book sometimes with minor changes. Text in _italic_ are peoples thoughts.

\- - **When he heard Mrs. Weasley calling his name softly up the stairs around lunchtime he retreated farther upstairs and ignored her.**

 **It was** **late in the afternoon when** **Harry merely settled himself more comfortably against the wall of** **the empty bedroom** **where he was hiding, trying to ignore how hungry he felt** **.**

 **It came as a slight shock when somebody** **suddenly** **hammered hard on the door** **.**

" **I know you** **'** **re in there,** **"** **said** **Ginny** **'s voice.** **"** **Will you please come out? I want to talk to you.** **"**

" **What are you doing here?** **"** **Harry asked her, pulling open the door** **.**

" **Mum made some** **sandwiches** **." "H** **ow'** **re you feeling?** **"** **asked** **Ginny** **.**

" **Fine,** **"** **said Harry stiffly.**

" **Oh, don** **'** **t lie, Harry,** **"** **she said impatiently.** **"** **Y** **ou** **'** **ve been hiding from everyone since you got back from St. Mungo** **'** **s.** **And you won** **'** **t look at any of us!** **"**

" **It** **'** **s you lot who won** **'** **t look at me!** **"**

" **Oh, stop feeling all misunderstood,** **"** **said** **Ginny** **sharply.** **"** **Look,** **I have talked to** **the others** **about what we** **overheard last night on the Extendable Ears —"**

" **Yeah?** **"** **growled Harry, his hands deep in his pockets as he watched the snow now falling thickly outside.** **"** **All been talking about me, have you? Well, I** **'** **m getting used to it.** **…"**

" **We wanted to talk to you, Harry,** **"** **said Ginny,** **"** **but as you** **'** **ve been hiding ever since we got back —"**

" **I didn** **'** **t want anyone to talk to me,** **"** **said Harry, who was feeling more and more nettled.**

" **Well, that was a bit stupid of you,** **"** **said Ginny angrily,** **"** **seeing as you don** **'** **t know anyone but me who** **'** **s been possessed by You-Know-Who, and I can tell you how it feels.** **"**

 **Harry remained quite still as the impact of these words hit him. Then he turned on the spot to face her.**

" **I forgot,** **"** **he said.**

" **Lucky you,** **"** **said Ginny coolly.**

" **I'** **m sorry,** **"** **Harry said, and he meant it.** **"** **So** **…** **so do you think I** **'** **m being possessed, then?** **"**

" **Well, can you remember everything you** **'** **ve been doing?** **"** **Ginny asked.** **"** **Are there big blank periods where you don** **'** **t know what you** **'** **ve been up to?** **"**

 **Harry racked his brains.**

" **No,"** **he said.**

" **Then You-Know-Who hasn** **'** **t ever possessed you,** **"** **said Ginny simply.** **"** **When he did it to me, I couldn** **'** **t remember what I** **'** **d been doing for hours at a time. I** **'** **d find myself somewhere and not know how I got there.** **"**

 **Harry hardly dared believe her, yet his heart was lightening almost in spite of himself.**

" **That dream I had about your dad and the snake, though —"**

" **Harry, you** **'** **ve had these dreams before,** **Ron told me,** **"** **Ginny** **said.** **"** **You had flashes of what You-Know-Who was up to last year.** **"**

" **This was different,** **"** **said Harry, shaking his head.** **"** **I was inside that snake. It was like I was the snake.** **…** **What if Voldemort somehow transported me to London —** **?** **"**

" **You didn** **'** **t leave your bed,** **Harry** **,"** **said** **Ginny** **.** **"** **Ron told me he** **saw you thrashing around in your sleep about a minute before** **he** **could wake you up.** **…"**

 **Harry started pacing up and down the room again, thinking. What** **she** **was** **saying was not only comforting, it made sense.** **…** **Without really thinking he took a sandwich from the plate on the bed and crammed it hungrily into his mouth.** **…**

 **I'** **m not the weapon after all, thought Harry. His heart swelled with happiness and relief, and he felt like joining in as they heard Sirius tramping past their door toward Buckbeak** **'** **s room, singing** **"** **God Rest Ye Merry, Hippogriffs** **"** **at the top of his voice.** **\- -**

\- - - My writing starts here - - -

"Please come and sit down Harry." She patted on the bed next to herself.

"How do you feel now?"

"Better, thanks Ginny."

"No problem." She said and laid her hand on his arm.

She felt him give a small jerk but he kept his arm still. He had never been used to physical contact when growing up but something in Ginny's touch made him very calm.

Harry looked at Ginny and suddenly became lost in her beautiful brown eyes, he had never noticed them properly before, and now that he came to think of it they had never really talked this much before.

Ginny noticed how Harry seemed to be staring at her stunned and she wondered what he was thinking about.

"Ginny… I…" He felt tears welling up in his eyes and he suddenly had a lump in his throat.

"I want to apologize for… well never talking to you properly."

"You don't have to apologize to me" she said, noticing the tears in his eyes. She put her arms around him and instantly felt him relax and put his arms around her. "You saved my life, remember?"

As they hugged, Harry became aware of a slight flowery scent sending his brain on a emotional rollercoaster ride. It reminded him of home somehow. As they broke apart Ginny did not notice the slight tinge of pink on Harrys cheeks.

They sat and talked for what seemed like hours about everything from school, the DA, Umbridge and Quidditch. Harry felt her very easy to talk to, just like with Ron or Hermione.

Later that evening they heard the doorbell ring and Mrs. Black started screaming again. Assuming that Mundungus or some other Order member had come to call, Harry now feeling in a very good mood asked, "Want to see who it is?"

"Yes, lets go down and find out, I think mum should have dinner ready soon anyway."

At this Harrys stomach grumbled loudly and they both laughed. "Right on time." Harry mused, smiling.

They left the room and headed down the stairs to the hallway finding Sirius closing the hangings on his mothers portrait and Mrs Weasley talking to Hermione.

 **\- -** **"** **What are you doing here?** **"** **Harry asked her,** **"** **I thought you were skiing with your mum and dad.** **"**

" **Well, to tell the truth, skiing** **'** **s not really my thing,** **"** **said Hermione.** **"** **So I** **'** **ve come for Christmas.** **"** **There was snow in her hair and her face was pink with cold.** **\- -** Mrs Weasley started up the stairs with Hermione's luggage and smiled to Harry. - - **"** **But don** **'** **t tell Ron that, I told him it** **'** **s really good because he kept laughing so much. Anyway, Mum and Dad are a bit disappointed, but I** **'** **ve told them that everyone** **who** **'** **s serious about the exams is staying at Hogwarts to study. They want me to do well, they** **'ll understand."**

" **I came on the Knight Bus,** **"** **said Hermione airily, pulling off her jacket before Harry had time to speak.** **"** **Dumbledore told me what had happened first thing this morning, but I had to wait for term to end officially before setting off. Umbridge is already livid that you lot disappeared right under her nose, even though Dumbledore told her Mr. Weasley was in St. Mungo** **'** **s, and he** **'** **d given you all permission to visit. So** **…"** **\- -**

"Well?" she said looking at him questioningly.

"Well what?"

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

Ginny and Hermione could both see Harry stiffen. " _No, don't go back into your shell again Harry"_ , thought Ginny.

Ginny put her hand on Harrys shoulder, she could feel him relax instantly. "We already talked about it" she said giving Hermione a knowing look. Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"Come on, lets find Ron" Harry said eager to change the subject. They found Ron in the kitchen making a card house on the kitchen table. When he saw Harry he looked surprised at first but acted as nothing out of the ordinary had happened in the last two days.

As they all sat down waiting for dinner Harry was as happy as ever and wondered how he ever could have dreamed of returning to Privet Drive for Christmas? Ginny though thought it best if she got Ron and Hermione on their own so she could explain. Ron was at first a bit taken aback and lost spectacularly to Harry in a round of exploding snap. He quickly recovered however and completely wiped the floor with Harry in the next round earning him scowls from both Ginny and Hermione.

Harry on the other hand did not notice, he felt like everything was back to normal and he was very grateful for that, realizing that he had acted a bit selfishly and he was happy that Ron and Hermione seemed so understanding. An apology was probably in order but later when he had worked up the courage for it.

Ginny was determined to keep Harry in a good mood after everything that had happened. She took the first opportunity she could when Harry was asked over by Mrs Weasley to help set the table. Ron and Hermione quickly caught on as she explained what they had talked about. Both Ron and Hermione knew that he often blamed himself for things others had caused. When Harry returned to the table and was talking to Ginny she was sure she could detect a slight smirk on Hermione's lips.

XXX XXX

 **\- -** **Sirius** **'** **s delight at having the house full again, and especially at having Harry back, was infectious. He was no longer their sullen host of the summer; now he seemed determined that everyone should enjoy themselves as much, if not more, than they would have done at Hogwarts, and he worked tirelessly cleaning and decorating with their help** **.** **The tarnished chandeliers were no longer hung with cobwebs but with garlands of holly and gold and silver streamers; magical snow glittered in heaps over the threadbare carpets; a great Christmas tree, obtained by Mundungus and decorated with live fairies, blocked Sirius** **'** **s family tree from view; and even the stuffed elf heads on the hall wall wore Father Christmas hats and beards.** **"** **\- -**

The following day Ginny were with Harry, Ron & Hermione wherever they went and whatever they did. No one except Hermione did seem to notice but she could not be more happy. She had always said Ginny should be herself around Harry and that he would start to notice her more and here was proof of just that.

Harry and Ginny found themselves alone in the sitting room one evening as Ron and Hermione unfortunately had gotten the blame for being accomplices in one of the twins pranks. Or so Mrs Weasley thought.

It was only Harry and Ginny's quick reflexes that had saved them. They had been in the study together with the twins, the foursome reading books or looking at the old artifacts in the glass cabinets and the twins sitting with a large box between them on the floor. Ginny and Harry had been close to the door looking at a glass cabinet containing a few Quidditch prizes which must have belonged ton Sirius brother Regulus.

Harry was just going to point out the fact that he had apparently been a seeker just like Harry when something reminiscing the new year's eve fireworks display of a smaller country had erupted inside the room.

Harry and Ginny quickly dodged out of the room and took cover in the corridor outside. There was a moments silence and as they peered around the corner they had a very hard time not bursting into laughter. The entire room was covered in soot and there was broken glass and paper everywhere. The twins were sitting facing each other with the box between then reduced to ashes. Hermione was peering up from behind a sofa her hair smoldering slightly. Ron was standing still looking stunned with a book torn and burnt in half in his hands.

There was the sound of running footsteps on the stairs and Mrs Black had started to scream again. "Quick!" Ginny said grabbing Harry's hand and darting into the first door they could find. It was a linen cupboard right next to the stairs. Harry hit his head on a low shelf as they hurried inside.

"Ow" he said and let out a small moan. Ginny put her hand over his mouth. There was not really enough space for them both in the cupboard and Harry got a whiff of that flowery scent again. This and the fact that Ginny was now very close made him blush and he was thankful that it was dark inside the cupboard.

The footsteps had now come up the stairs and stopped just past the cupboard at the doorway to the study. There was silence for one trembling second then they heard Sirius roaring with laughter and Mrs Weasley screaming at the top of her voice.

"This is our cue" Ginny said slowly opening the door and peering outside. "Coast is clear, lets go." she whispered. They hurriedly but quietly snuck back downstairs to the sitting room and collapsed on the couch laughing hysterically. It was several minutes before they could calm down.

As they once agin heard footsteps but on the way down now they looked out of the room. As Mrs Weasley was passing Ginny asked in a tone that could have fooled anyone; "Mum, whats going on, what was that noise?" Harry thought Ginny was a master at keeping a straight face and acting surprised.

"Nothing to worry about dear, Its just your brothers and Hermione of all people behaving very childishly but they will regret it as they will now have to spend the rest of the evening cleaning up the mess they caused." "You and Harry can stay here until dinner is ready."

As they talked Harry again noticed just how smart, funny and easy she was to talk to. The more time he spent with her he realized he wanted to spend even more time with her. He found himself just staring at her. The subdued light from the gas lamps made her hair look like it was on fire with all its shades of red, her eyes seemed to sparkle with flecks of gold in all that brown.

Ginny noticed Harry being more and more absent from the discussion and suddenly it was as if she knew Harry was staring at her. Their eyes met and they both smiled. It was now very quiet in the room. After a few moments of awkward silence Harry steeled himself and asked as casually as he could;

"Ginny… Em, do you like me?"

Ginny stiffened and her eyes shot towards Harry. She was staring at him her mouth hanging slightly open. He felt like an idiot, he had done it now he thought, _"Why is it I can never say anything to the girls I like without messing things up?"_

"Harry…" she said breathlessly.

She was now blushing heavily. _"What did he say?"_ she thought. _"He asks if I like him?"_

She dropped her eyes and started to fiddle with the hem of her skirt.

"I… Well yes Harry… I like you very much." It was now Harrys turn to have his jaw drop although Ginny did not notice as she was preoccupied with the hem of her skirt still. She gently placed her hand on Harrys leg and he felt tingles all over his body. They both looked at each other, their eyes glistening in the low light.

Harry could feel his heart pounding in his chest as they leaned in and their lips touched softly. It was blissful oblivion but far to short. Their eyes locked at one another and they both saw something in each others eyes, a raw need and they kissed again, longer this time. Harry thought it was the best feeling he had ever had, he wished it would never end. He put her arms around her waist and she put her arms around his neck and drew him in closer. When they came up for air both were panting.

They were both smiling at each other but before they could say anything they heard Mrs Weasley calling from the kitchen, dinner was ready. As they got up and walked towards the door Harrys head was spinning. Ginny turned to wait for him and she looked at him concerned.

"Harry are you ok?" she asked.

"Yes I'm fine" he said trying to sound as though he was.

She stood in front of him and placed her hand on his arm. "Are you sure? You look a little weird" she said, frowning.

"Really Ginny I'm fine" he said not meeting her eyes and trying to think of something else.

Ginny reached up and placed her hand on his forehead. "You are feeling a bit warm" she said, her voice full of concern.

"Please Ginny, I'm fine you just need to let it be" he said with a wan smile.

Ginny now understood. "Oh!" she said her eyes widening to the size of saucers and she quickly withdrew her hand. She was blushing furiously, she could not believe the effect she was having on him. She new if she said something it would probably just get worse.

Harry took a few calming breaths before he followed her into the kitchen. He hoped his "trouser problem" went unnoticed and he quickly sat down and was half relived and half terrified when she sat down next to him. Ron, Hermione and the twins entered the room looking sooty and absolutely exhausted.

As dinner progressed Ginny and Harry were a lot more polite towards each other than normal and also kept shooting glances at each other and whispering whenever they were passing each other the dishes that were going around the table.

It was obvious that at least the younger Weasley's and Hermione had noticed something was going on. Ron frowned whenever they would sneak a glance at one another but Hermione was simply smiling softly. The twins were smiling as well but Harry thought that there was a trace of a mischievous grin on their lips.

"St Mungo's sent an owl earlier" said Mrs Weasley. "Arthur will be ready to go home tomorrow which means he will be able to spend Christmas together with us". There was a round of cheerful murmuring around the table. "Excellent!" Sirius said. "Can we come and help?" said Ginny. "Yes dear of corse" Ginny and Harry both smiled.

The twins, Ron and Hermione suddenly looked very solemn. "Yes you can all come" Mrs Weasley said looking at them stern but with a slight smile. "You just need to clean up the mess you made and promise to behave" It was a good thing that Fred, George, Ron and Hermione all started talking at once and very loudly. The twins were talking about how it was not a very big explosion to begin with, Ron was talking about unfair treatment and how he had nothing to do with it, Hermione was however apologizing unconditionally.

It was probably the latter that Mrs Weasley heard most of since she just smiled and said that they could get back to work as soon as desert was finished. As she got up to fetch said dessert she did not notice the faces of Sirius, Harry, & Ginny who was having a very hard time to conceal their laughs.

After desert, the twins, Ron & Hermione went back upstairs to resume their cleaning which presumably was being done without any kind of magic. Sirius had taken residence in the sitting room so Harry and Ginny proceeded up the stairs to Ginny's and Hermione's room.

Ginny noticed Harry being more nervous then before dinner. "Is something wrong Harry?"

"No its just that I think your brothers…"

"Harry, don't worry about them" she snapped. "If they know what is good for them they will not bother you."

"Well I don't doubt that" Harry said feeling a bit more cheered up.

"So what happened earlier this evening? Where does that leave us?" she said.

"Well I… Ginny I like you very much, I cant really remember being this happy before.

This brought tears to her eyes and she threw herself around him hugging him fiercely.

"Me too Harry, me too."

They sat for quite a while before they broke apart.

"So I guess that means we are boyfriend and girlfriend now" he said.

"It most certainly does!" huffed Ginny. I just don't go around snogging anyone" she said with a slight grin.

"Should we tell anyone?"

"Oh, I think they will figure it out eventually."

They shared a few more kisses before both started yawning, they did not want the day to end but it had been a long one.

"I think we´d better get to bed so we can get up early and bring Mr Weasley home."

They both stood up and she followed him to the door.

"Harry, thank you so much for saving him, if it had not been for you…" she trailed off and kissed him with a passion he had not felt before.

"Goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight Ginny."

As he left the room he met Hermione in the corridor. She smiled and said "Goodnight Harry" and he could have sworn she gave him the tiniest of winks.

When he reached his and Ron's room Ron was already in bed snoring heavily.

He went to bed feeling more happy than he could remember he had been in a long while. Not since going to Hogwarts and making best friends with Ron and Hermione had he felt this good. But somewhere he also felt a little apprehensive about how Ron would take the news that his best mate was now dating his sister.

And then he thought of Fred, George, Bill, Charlie & Percy (well Percy was at lest not likely to find out any time soon since he wasn't on speaking terms with the family at the moment). He also wondered what Mr and Mrs Weasley would think of the fact that the boy they had taken on as their extra son was now dating their daughter who was only 14 years old.

He fell asleep dreaming alternatively of Ginny and her long sweet hair and alternatively of the male side of the Weasley family chasing him with their wands at the ready.

XXX XXX

The next morning Harry was awoken early by Mrs Weasley. After breakfast they returned to get dressed for the cold weather outside. As Harry headed downstairs he met Ginny on the stairs. She was wearing a blue/grey coat and a small hat that matched and her hair seemed to be standing out more than usual. Harry was taken aback with just how beautiful she was. They shared a quick kiss and she took his hand as they descended the stairs down to the hall.

When they got down the stairs everyone was waiting for them in the hall and they quickly let go of each others hands blushing slightly, though it seemed only Mrs Weasley had noticed. She gave them both a warm smile.

"Everyone ready?"

Outside they met Moody, Lupin and Bill. The trip to St Mungo's was uneventful except for Moody scaring some muggles on the underground as he lifted the eyepatch he had over his magical eye to adjust it.

 **\- -** **"** **The reception area looked pleasantly festive: The crystal orbs that illuminated St. Mungo** **'** **s had been turned to red and gold so that they became gigantic, glowing Christmas baubles; holly hung around every doorway, and shining white Christmas trees covered in magical snow and icicles glittered in every corner, each topped with a gleaming gold star. It was less crowded than the last time they had been there** **"** **\- -**

Once in Mr Weasley's room and while waiting for some final check ups Mr Weasley noticed that Harry and Ginny seemed quite a lot happier than last time and that they were standing close together and whispering to each other. He was interrupted in his thoughts and observations by the healer who said: "Good thing I talked you and our trainee healer out of using those muggle stitches. They would have prolonged your healing time considerably."

"What?" Mrs Weasley said loudly, her eyes narrowing.

 **\- -** **Lupin strolled away from the bed and over to the werewolf, who had no visitors and was looking rather wistfully at the crowd around Mr. Weasley; Bill muttered something about getting himself a cup of tea and Fred and George leapt up to accompany him, grinning.**

" **I fancy a cup of tea too,** **"** **said Harry, jumping to his feet.**

 **Hermione, Ron, and Ginny almost sprinted to the door with him. As it swung closed behind them, they heard Mrs. Weasley shriek,** **"** **WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THAT** **'** **S THE GENERAL IDEA?** **"**

" **Typical Dad,** **"** **said Ginny, shaking her head as they set off up the corridor.** **"** **Stitches** **…** **I ask you** **…"**

" **Well, you know, they do work well on non-magical wounds,** **"** **said Hermione fairly.** **"** **I wonder where the tea** **room is?** **"**

" **Fifth floor,** **"** **said Harry, remembering the sign over the Welcome Witch** **'** **s desk.** **\- -**

After the whole meeting with Lockhart and then Neville and his grandmother they were all very happy to be back on the train with the rest of the Weasley family, Moody and Lupin.

Once back inside Grimmauld place Moody had to go, most likely another mission for the Order but Lupin stayed for lunch. Since they had been surrounded by people all day, Harry and Ginny had not been able to engage in their new found activities, but Ginny had been teasing Harry whenever she could get away with it. Harry was now quite worked up and he engaged Lupin in conversation during lunch to distract his thoughts.

After lunch they were all in the sitting room talking about what they wished for christmas and how nice it was to have Mr Weasley back from St Mungo's. Harry was sitting on one of the sofas with Ginny watching Ron playing a set of wizards chess with Bill. Hermione was sitting on the floor leaning on the sofa and reading a book that looked like "Hogwarts a History". Ginny was lightly stroking the palm of Harrys hand with her middle finger. It was then that Harry noticed Mr Weasley looking at him and then whispering something to Mrs Weasley. She looked up from her knitting and both she and Mr Weasley were smiling slightly.

Harry turned his attention back to the chess game as his cheeks now were feeling very hot.

"Have I missed something Molly dear?" Mr Weasley said. "Since when did Ginny and Harry spend so much time together?"

"I don't know, I noticed it myself yesterday when they were sitting together here in the sitting room, this morning I could have sworn I saw them holding hands."

"They do look very cute together, it reminds me of how you and I first started dating" he said. It was now Mrs Weasley's turn to blush slightly.

"I just hope that Ron or the twins don't try and be the overprotective brothers. Those two definitely deserve some happiness and they sure do look happy together" she said.

Over in the corner Sirius was studying a set of documents Professor Dumbledore had dropped off earlier when the Weasley's, Harry & Hermione had been at St Mungo's. He too noticed something was going on between Harry and Ginny. At first he had noticed that when Harry had come back from St Mungo's and acted very strange and isolated it was not until Ginny had gone up and talked to him that he had come back down. And when he did come back down he had seemed his usual self again, no scratch that he had seemed more happy than Sirius had ever seen him.

He was reminded on just how much Harry looked like James and just how much Ginny looked like Lilly when they sat together like that. He felt his eyes mist over a bit and held the parchments up to his face so he could wipe a tear out of his eyes without anyone noticing. He also felt he needed to cover the huge smile that was breaking out on his face.

XXX XXX

 **\- -** **Harry awoke on Christmas morning to find a stack of presents at the foot of his bed and Ron already halfway through opening his own, rather larger, pile.**

" **Good haul this year,** **"** **he informed Harry through a cloud of paper.** **"** **Thanks for the Broom Compass, it** **'** **s excellent, beats Hermione** **'s** **— she** **'** **s got me a homework planner —"**

 **Harry sorted through his presents and found one with Hermione** **'** **s handwriting on it. She had given him too a book that resembled a diary, except that it said things like** **"** **Do it today or later you** **'** **ll pay!** **"** **every time he opened a page.**

 **Sirius and Lupin had given Harry a set of excellent books entitled Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against the Dark Arts, which had superb, moving color illustrations of all the** **counter jinxes** **and hexes it described. Harry flicked through the first volume eagerly; he could see it was going to be highly useful in his plans for the D.A. Hagrid had sent a furry brown wallet that had fangs, which were presumably supposed to be an antitheft device, but unfortunately prevented Harry putting any money in without getting his fingers ripped off.**

 **Tonks'** **s present was a small, working model of a Firebolt, which Harry watched fly around the room, wishing he still had his full-size version; Ron had given him an enormous box of Every-Flavor Beans; Mr. and Mrs. Weasley the usual hand-knitted jumper and some mince pies; and Dobby, a truly dreadful painting that Harry suspected had been done by the elf himself. He had just turned it upside down to see whether it looked better that way when** **… - -**

…he suddenly remembered _"Ginny!" "I haven't gotten her a present!"_ He normally did not receive any presents from her nor gave any to her but a lot had happened in the past few days and he was now panicking. He had not had exactly lots of time or opportunity to get her a present since they were shut in at Grimmauld place all the time. He had not received one from her this morning _"Yet"_ he thought, but he felt that it was definitely a boys responsibility to get his girlfriend a present on christmas.

Meanwhile Ginny had come to the same conclusion as she opened her own presents. _"What am I going to do!?"_ _"Maybe I can give him something I already have, like a bracelet or something. I do think I have a friendship bracelet somewhere…"_ She started looking around the room before remembering where she was. _"Of corse they are in your room at the Burrow silly girl."_

Hermione looked at her friend and noticed how she seemed to face some inner battle with herself as she held one of her christmas presents in her hand. She thought she knew what was going on.

"Happy with this years presents?" She asked trying to keep from smiling. Ginny suddenly looked white as a sheet and looked almost ready to faint. Feeling immediately sorry for Ginny she said:

"You know, I don't think Harry will mind, he is more than happy just to spend time with you."

Ginny blushed slightly. "Is it that obvious is it?"

"Well, yes. But I don't think dear Ronald has caught on yet." Hermione said with a smirk.

"No, he can be a bit thick sometimes can he?" Ginny said and they both laughed.

"I am so happy for you both." Hermione said.

"Thanks Hermione, that really means a lot."

The girls continued to talk about boys until they went downstairs for breakfast and when they saw Ron and Harry they both said at the same time "Good morning boys" and giggling, making Harry choke on his cereal and turning beet red. Ron frowned and absentmindedly gave Harry a few blows on the back not taking his eyes of his toast and eggs.

Later that evening they were all gathered in the sitting room listening to the WWN and showing their presents to each other. Harry and Ginny were sitting together on the couch.

"Im sorry, I forgot to get you a christmas present." Harry said dejectedly.

"You didn't need to get me anything Harry." "Just being together with you is all I could ever wish for."

And he looked at her and just marveled at how beautiful and kind she were. And suddenly he knew then and there that he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. This was true love he thought as he took her hands in his. They were both looking at each other intently and had not noticed that the room had become very silent as everyone was looking at the couple on the sofa.

"Merry Christmas Ginny"

"Merry Christmas Harry"

They both leaned in and shared a long kiss. This had been their best one yet and Harry kept wondering if it would always be this exiting kissing Ginny, almost as they were kissing for the first time every time.

They continued to look at each other and there was a moments silence.

Sirius wolf whistled and Harry and Ginny turned startled towards the others, having completely forgotten that they were not alone. Both blushed deep red.

Sirius had a huge grin on his face, Hermione was absolutely beaming, Mrs Weasley had tears of joy streaking down her face and Mr Weasley seemed to have a lump in his throat as he had one arm around Mrs Weasley. Ron looked like he had been hit by a bludger but then shrugged his shoulders as if saying "Well, if you must." The rest were smiling.

They both sat up very late, talking, kissing, holding hands and just being. When they both started to yawn he walked Ginny to her room and gave her one last kiss goodnight.

"Thank you Harry for the best christmas of my life."

"You're welcome Ginny but you have certainly made this the best christmas of my life too."

As he made his way to bed and lay down his eyes drifted shut. He felt like there was a glow of warm light inside him, shielding him and he fell asleep almost instantly, something he had not been able to do for months. As he woke up the next day he felt very different but in a good way. He felt completely rested for the first time in a long while, not having had any nightmares at all.

 **A/N:** This is my first ever fanfic so please please review and let me know what you think.


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